Service Records application - MOD response timescale

Which part do you need help with?

This is the record of a RAF Regiment gunner

Mostly Anti Aircraft duties

Named locations associated with Yorkshire area - RCAF group aerodromes.

This is the unit ORB
2753 Squadron, RAF Regiment, formed Islay (UK) July 1941; moved to Turnhouse 13 January... | The National Archives

Ross

 

Sometimes going direct to the regiment he served in may be quicker. Some museums and regiments still keep there files. We do at the Scots Guards.

 

Hang on to them !

"Service records of Guards regiments
The Coldstream Guards and Scots Guards regiments retain their own records.
To access them write to or call the appropriate regimental headquarters.
For Grenadier, Irish and Welsh Guards service records visit the GOV.UK website.
Some of these records were destroyed by enemy bombing of the Guards chapel during the Second World War."

see here: British Army soldiers in service after 1918 - The National Archives

 

I’m not sure that all the above is totally accurate. SG records are available via FMP - service records for enlistments until circa 1936 the last time I looked - and some CG records are available on the same platform. They do not include service records which, contrary to above article, are with MOD.

Here is latest circulation about NA/Ancestry collaboration -


Ministry of Defence service records project - The National Archives

Steve

Steve

 

Steve,

The Kew list of Places of Deposit include "SG" and "CG", as you mention: see below. In the document you link there is this important statement:

"The cost of creating digital images from the paper originals, transcribing those records, and building the digital infrastructure to present the images and data to the general public is significant, and beyond our resources and statutory role."

The MoD can digitise records and pass them to Kew in that form, or use a Place of Deposit. The Advisory Council would be the body to make the decision.

The Advisory Council in November 2019 minuted this:

"ACTION: MOD are to be asked to provide a written update for February. The possibility of inviting them to the May meeting should also be left open.
3.6 The department had sought retentions in respect of both the guards and the service personnel records."

https://cdn.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/advisory-council-summary-2019-11.pdf

The matter was not minuted again in subsequent meetings.

Perhaps FMP digitised the records you refer to in a deal with the MoD ? ( I do not have access to either FMP or Ancestry.)

Some "military related" places of deposit:

Airborne Assault – The Museum of the Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces
Army Chaplaincy, Museum of
Cheshire Military Museum
Coldstream Guards, RHQ The
Fleet Air Arm Museum
Grenadier Guards Regimental Archives
Imperial War Museum: Department of Documents
Imperial War Museum: Film Archive
Imperial War Museum Photograph Archive
Imperial War Museum: Duxford
Imperial War Museum Sound Archive
Irish Guards, The (Museum and Archive of)
National Army Museum Templer Study Centre
National Maritime Museum: The Caird Library
Royal Air Force Museum, Department of Research and Information Services
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Archives (Sandhurst Collection
Scots Guards, Regimental Headquarters
Tank Museum
Welsh Guards (The)

Full list here:

Places of Deposit - Archives sector

John

 

You are correct. our records go up to around 1936 maybe a little further depending on when the soldier joined. We are currently in the process of doing the same from lets say 1937 - 1945. They should be on FMP within the next 12 to 18 months.

 

Thank you very much for the insight into your records. Kew's "Discovery" lists your files with references SGPHO, SGPP, SGR, SGR/2 to 14 ( but no SGR/11 ) , and no reference to FMP at all. By the way, finding an original Kew file reference on FMP is very difficult - for example, files catalogued originally in WO 361 which FMP digitised. FMP index on a personal name but you have to be able to trace the original file instantly - and that is a long performance.

 

Thanks very much for the update.

SG appear to have shared all papers in a man’s (and officer’s) service record file - including discipline and medical forms - rather then the handful of basic records shared by MOD. I spent many hours during lockdown reading files for the contemporaries of my mother’s cousin who served 1935/46 - Right Flank 2nd SG 35/38, Left Flank 1st SG 38/40 until being wounded and taken POW during the rearguard action at Mo I Rana, Norway 17th May 1940. Information in the files of his contemporaries filled in some gaps in my knowledge.

In addition I especially found the items of post war correspondence with RHQ SG and The Regimental Association included in a man’s file very informative and in some instances very moving. They reflect extremely well on the care afforded to members of the regiment post discharge. I appreciate MOD files for line regiments and other Corps will not have the benefit of similar contents.

I’m personally sad that RHQ CG didn’t follow the lead of SG and share their files with FMP so I could get more of an insight into my fathers 9 years service with them 1937/46 (POW 1941/45) than provided by the handful of forms I obtained from RHQ CG about 10 years ago.

You may be interested in the attached photo of Right Flank 2nd SG at Aldershot 1936 given to my mother by her cousin.

Best Wishes

Steve

 

I don't know much about the CG files and what they have done with them but I can certainly find out for you. I believe the National Army Museum may have them. Even if they're not on FMP they should still be accessible in some way. standby for an update.